Mr. Ditullio was allowed to have his tattoos covered for his murder trial because his normal appearance might not let him get a fair trial. Some of Mr. Ditullio visible tattoos include barbed wire running down the right side of his face, and a swastika and the words "F*ck you" on his neck. He was a member of a neo-Nazi group.

A cosmotologist did her best to obscure them:

The first stage is a reddish layer to obscure the greenish tinge of the ink — “You cover a color with a color,” she explained. Then comes Dermablend, a cosmetic aid that smoothes and obscures and is used to cover scars and pigmentation disorders like vitiligo. A flesh-toned layer is then sprayed on with an air gun, and finally, to avoid the porcelain-doll look that comes from an even-hued coat, a final color touchup intended to, as theatrical makeup artists say, “put blood back in.”

Despite receiving a less prejudicial appearance, Mr. Ditullio, 24, was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder for attacking Patricia Wells, his next door neighbor, and killing her son's friend.